“It feels like a wasp sting but worse. The pain hits immediately and gets worse after the creature sticks, and can even make your bones hurt. How badly it gets stuck depends on where it gets stuck and how many tags have dug into your skin. People who’ve had it stuck on their hands have reported feeling the pain up to their shoulders and it lasting for up to twelve hours,” ethnologist Don Hall told National Geographic, according to Expressen.
The puss caterpillar’s sting undoubtedly harmed Eric Day, manager of Virginia Tech’s Insect ID Lab. He was mowing the lawn at his country home in Virginia when he was bitten by the strange-locking caterpillar.
“The burning sensation went away in a day or so, but that blister and then subsequent kind of irritated area was visible for several weeks,” he recalled.
If this caterpillar stings you, properly wash the affected area with soap and water after removing the dangerous hairs with tape. If the sting location begins to itch, the National Capital Poison Center recommends using baking powder or hydrocortisone lotion to the area. If the situation worsens, seek medical attention immediately.
Puss caterpillars are rarely fatal, but their sting can provoke anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening.
